Loom having drum controlled heddles



Dec. 6, 1955 w. P. LEUSZLER LOOM HAVING DRUM CONTROLLED HEDDLES 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 22, 1952 a INVENTOR.

Wm/rea Leaaz/er ATTORN D 6, 1955 w. P. LEUSZLER LOOM HAVING DRUMCONTROLLED HEDDLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 22, 1952 HAP W F 6',INVENTOR. Mhfld Zeasz/er United States Patent Ofitice 2,725,900 PatentedDec. 6, 1955 2,725,900 LOOM HAVING DRUM CONTROLLED HEDDLES Winfred P.Leuszler, Kansas City, Mo. Application December 22, 1952, Serial No.327,293 2 Claims. (Cl. 139-30) This invention relates to thefield ofinterlacing yarn, threads, wires, strips or strands of various materialsto produce cloth, fabrics, textiles, screening, fencing or allied suchweaving operations.

It is the most important object of the present invention 'to provideimprovements particularly adapted for use in hand looms having the usualprincipal motions of shedding, picking and beating up, but includingnovel mechanism for raising and lowering the harnesses to present a shedin the warp through which a shuttle carrying the filling is thrown.

shedding motion.

Other objects include the way a perforated drum having plugs disposed ina pre-selected arrangement is used to control harness movement; ,themanner of providing a single treadle to raise the harness and anothertreadle In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a loom having drum controlledheddles made pursuant to my present invention. r

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on irregilar line IIII'of Fig. 1.v

Fig.- 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line III'III ofFig'. 1. r 7

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on lineIVIV'-of-Fig..3.

Fig.3 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary taken on line V-V of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a detailed, fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on 1ine.VIV I of Fig. 5.

In its simplest form of loom, the leashes or harnesses, which govern thei cross-sectional view cables, and pulleys- Another type of hand-loom isoperatedgbyacr'ank which revolves 'a'nurnber of cams acting'on leversconnected to the heddles. By arranging the cams as desired, they operatein the required succession to produce a twill or pattern which may bevariegated by increasing the number of cams and heddles. In other formsof hand-looms the proper motions are derived from the vibration of thebatten.

The principles of the present invention have been shown in the drawingsin connection with a hand-loom that is basically conventional in manyrespects. A pair of spaced, E-shaped frames 10 and 12, having end posts14 and 16 and center plate 18, are joined by cross bars 20,

22, 24 and 26. Warp threads 28 or yarn roll 30 between frames 10 and 12at one end thereof and the finished cloth 32 is wound on a cloth beam34. Let-ofi and take-up means is provided to pay off the 5 yarn 28 frombeam 30 and wind the cloth 32 on beam 34 as is well understood.

From beam 30, warp 28 is passed over a roller 36 and carried througheyes 38 of heddles 40. There are a plurality of harnesses 42 verticallyreciprocable between plates 18, each provided with bars 44 for receivinga number of the heddles 40. From eyes 38 thread's'28 pass through thedents or teeth 46 of reed 47 of a swingable batten 48 used to beat homeand compact the weft-threads (not shown) as the work progresses. Aprojecting ledge 50 on batten 48 forms a path for a shuttle (not shown),which contains a cop on which the weft-yarn is wound.

in weaving plain cloth the warp is divided into two parts, eachcontaining an alternate thread, which are alternately raised andlowered, allowing the Weft-thread to pass between a space or shed 52.Each half of the warp is alternately raised and lowered by means ofharnesses 42. The shedding mechanism or structure for making thedecussation and forming the shed 52 in which the shuttle travels andleaves the weft-thread forms the subject matter of the presentinvention. It will be'seen that the harnesses 42 may be lowered inregular alternation for plain weaving or in other order, according tothe pattern through use of mechanism hereof in the same manner as hasheretofore been provided.

At the outset it is pointed out that the plurality of sideby-sideharnesses 42, confined between the plates 18-18 are guided in theirreciprocable movement by a pair of sets of flanged rollers 54 on theinner faces of each plate 18 respectively. Harnesses 42 are all raisedsimultaneously by tipping a platform-like foot treadle 56, pivoted onshaft 57 and actuated by an operator seatedatthe front of the loomadjacent roller 58 and beam 34 for cloth 32.

A pair of T-shaped posts 60 underlie harnesses 42 and are verticallyreciprocable in tubular bearings 62 fastened are wound on a beam tosupports 64 depending from the spaced cross and 22. Bifurcated arms 66are hinged to treadle 56 at the innermost end of the latter and to posts60 as at 68 to provide a knee-action knuckle joint. 7

A pair of uprights 70 and 72 depending from cross bars 20 and 22respectively and interconnected by brace means 74 (upright 72 beingconnected to cross bar 26) journal shaft 76 of a hollow, cylindricaldrum 78 beneathharnesses 42 and between bearings 62 and posts 60. Drum78 has a circumferential row of openings 80 for each harnessrespectively, the openings being transversely aligned as shown in Figs.4 and 6. In the loom, chosen for illustration, there are eight harnesses42 and accordingly drum 78 has eight annular rows of openings 80, eachrow containing fort -eight openings, there being, therefore, a total ofthree hundred eighty-four openings in drum 78, each adapted to receive aremovable preferably rubber, plug 82.

Each harness 42 in turn is provided with a central pin 60 84 dependingtheerfrom in alignment with a corresponding row of openings 80 andadapted to pass one of the openplug 82 is removed and when harnesses 42are lowered by manipulating treadle 56.

Drum 78 is rotated in either direction step-by-step through a tootheddisc 86 connected thereto and having forty-eight teeth. A pair of spacedstrips 88 depending from cross bar 22 carry swingable levers 90 havingsprings 92 holding the same against stops 94 and provided with 70 pawls96 swingably secured thereto. Weights 98 on pawls 96 hold the latteragainst stops 100. Hinges 102 mount a pair of treadles 104, one for eachlever 90 rebars 20 spectively, on cross bar 24, .cables 106 joiningtreadles 104 with levers 90.

More rapid advancement or retrograde movement may be imparted to drum 78by hand through a sheave 108 on shaft 76. A cable 110 coiled aboutsheave 108 and secured thereto at its bight passes over pulleys 112 andwheels 114 on frames 10 and 12, terminating-in weights 116 guided byrods 118 on posts 14. Graduated scales 129 on posts 14 indicate theposition of drum 78 at all times and also aids the operator ashe' graspsweights 116 to rotate drum 78.

No particular skill is required to arrange the plugs 82 in drum 78according to a desired pattern to be followed in the weaving operation.Th time-consuming, complicated task of connecting the harnesses with a.large number of treadles, as has heretofore been necessary, is entirelyeliminated. During the weaving operations, only the treadle 56 and oneof the treadles-104 need to be foot-operated. And the entire operationis virtually as simple regardless of the number of harnesses employed.

When treadle 56 is depressed from the position shown in Fig. 1 and swungon axis 57, arms 66 and posts 60 are raised to, in turn, raise all ofthe harnesses 42 simultaneously to a position where all of the pins 84are out of engagement with drum 78. Thereupon the operator may step onone of the treadles 104 to swing the same downwardly from the positionshown in Fig. l on its hinge 102. The corresponding cable 106 will swingits lever 90 to move the attached pawl :96 against disc 86 and advancedrum 78 one step.

As the harnesses 42 are thereupon lowered, some of the pins 84 will eachcome to rest on a plug 82 and the remaining pins 84 Will each pass anopening 80 as is clear inFigs. and 6, all depending on the arrangementof the plugs 82. After throwing of the shuttle along ledge 50 throughthe shed 52 thus formed, the weft-thread is driven home by batten 48 andthe step-up procedure repeated.

Retrograde movement of drum 78 may be produced by operational? the othertreadle 104 while the pins 84 are elevated and the weaver can check theposition of weights 116 relative to scales 120 to determine the positionof drum 78, or manipulate weights 116 to speed up the rotation of drum78 when greater movement is desired.

The prior art providing for various types of cylinder motions inshedding mechanisms and in means employed for moving harnesses inweaving machines is recognized. For example, the present invention isclearly distinguishable from the well-known jacquard mechanism placedabove a loom for the purpose of automatically selecting and raising thedesired warp ends to form the required shed forthe insertion of eachpick or filling.

In the first place the harness of a jacquard is entirely different fromthe harness of the loom herein disclosed or that of looms employing camsor dobbies. The harness line of the jacquard having a warp-receivingmail and a weight or lingoe on its hanger is not contemplated by thepresent invention.

Secondly, the jacquard uses perforated cards laced around a cylinderthrough which cards certain needles pass, causing selected harness linesto rise as a gritf is raised and engages jacquard hooks within its pathof travel, the lingoe operating to lower the hooks when the grid? drops.Thus, the pattern which is perforated on the card is reproduced upon thetissue in the loom, The

chain of perforated cards passing over a drum for passing warp threadsshall be raised is therefore not to be confused with the manner of usinga perforated drum for preselecting a pattern or figure to be reproducedon the fabric as in the present invention.

Looms having a dobby with the harness controlling mechanism are also notli-ke :the improvements herein set forth. Pattern chains are employedand provided with pins whichacton hooks or jacks connected-with a seriesof levers that. arelin turn,coupled.withlthe harness frames. Meansengaging the hooks selected by the pins raises the harness framesthat'are necessary 'toproduce thepattern.

It is recognized further that shedding-mechanism having an under-cammotion with the cams arranged beneath the harnesses has heretofore beenemployed.

In the present invention, however, treadles for each harnessrespectively have been entirely eliminated as have the cables attachedto thezharnessesand' the accompanyingpulleys and, sheaves. Instead ofraisingand/ or lowering the harnesses by; cams therebeneath or elsewhereon the loom, jthe harnessesare raised by suitablemeehanism, such as by asingle treadle in ahand 100m, and permitted to descend according to thepattern 'tdesired by means in their pathsof descent that will. eitherpass or intercept depending, pins ,orpegs .on..the harnesses'themselves.Thereareno books: that move into or out of thepath of travel of agriffithe use of perforated bars on a chain with pegs toraisecorresponding index. fingers is not contemplated, and the.employmentofweights to lower harness lines or springs to maintain theharnesses yieldably biased toward one endof-theiripaths of. travel areunnecessary.

Having thus describedthe invention, what is claimed as new anddesireddobe, secured? by Letters-Patent is:

1. In a hand loom including a plurality of side-by-side, verticallyreciprocable harnesses, a-rotatable pattern drum having acircumferential rowof openings for each harness respectively, a pindepending;from each harness respectively in alignment with thecorresponding row of openings and a plurality of lugs in selectedopenings forblocking the travel of correspondingpins toestablish'apattern, releasable meansfor raisingjhe harnesses and the pins to aposition spaced from said drum; and drum control structure including apair of selectively operatcdlevers, each having parts engageablewith,,said drum for stepy-step rotation thereof through the .distancebetween ladjoining rows, one of said levers being operable to step thedrum in one direction, the other-ofsaidlevers being operable to step thedrum in the opposite direction, said drum being rotatable only whentheharnesses are in said position.

2. A hand loom as set forth in claim 1 wherein said structure includesmeans operably ,coupled'with said drum for rotating the latter throughthe,dist ance between one or more. of .saidrows and means associatedtherewith-for determining which of .said rows-isin alignment with saidpins.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 320Garsed July 24, 1855 7,387 Shuttleworth -1May 21, 1850 557,295 Wicks....Mar.31, 1896 626,149 Desmarais et;al. May 30, 1899 1,678,121Leveillee Iuly 24, 1928

